A Step-By-Step Guide to Merge Google Plus Pages without Losing Data

Although it has been quite a while since Google Places, Local and Plus all merged into one, people still come to us asking the same question – “How to merge Google Plus Pages?” When Google My Business came into being, many businesses were at a loss with multiple pages with verified URLs and local listings. We are guessing, this must have happened to you as well since you are here now. We have scoured every inch of the internet and nowhere could we find one completely consolidated article or blog on how to get the job done!

You must understand that this process is rather elaborate and complicated. Very few blogs talk about Google plus page management in general, while none talks about how to merge multiple existing pages into one!

You might find Google+ recalcitrant and obstinate to being with:

Things tend to get a little more complicated since most location-based businesses create a Google+ Page for their company and brand name. These pages date back to the times when Google+ was either non-existent or an infant. Finally, when Google+ came into being most of these businesspersons realized that they have at least two pages that are showing up in the Google+ environment.

Google has the tendency to create Google+ pages for any and all local businesses that have a physical presence. Therefore, a shoe store to a dentist, everyone is likely to have auto-generated G+ pages. Doctors, lawyers, real estate agents and consultants — no one is free from the all-seeing eye of Google.

There is usually no way to delete this page or suppress this G+ Page for local.

You can only merge two Google plus pages when they are both local and are designed for the same local business, uses the same address and contact details. It is impossible to pass followers onto the new page from old existing ones.

If you have two local listing pages bearing the same brand name and company details, you should contact Google Plus support center or professional SEO consultants for further help. Moreover, if you are keen on “fixing” it yourself, keep reading out article.

If your business has more than on Google plus pages, it is not necessarily a bad thing. You can use multiple pages to keep updating your campaigns and post content onto social media. You can even have separate G+ pages for separate events of your company if you please.

If you serve an exclusively local clientele, is it a good idea to go for page merging?

If you are a dentist or a lawyer who serves a particular community of people, it is likely that your local listing draws in most people. In this case, you can do the following:

You can choose to keep both pages. You can post on the local page more actively and put an update or post on your business page asking your readers to follow the local page.

If your company has a broader audience and spans more than one state, then it is a completely different ballgame. In that case, it is beneficial to have just one Google+ Page that consolidates all the company information, policies, business hours and reviews. It should be in good terms with Google SEO. When related keywords are used, your company name should show up within the top 3 results of business listings now provided by Google.

Identify the pages first: You need to identify the local listing pages and the Google+ page owned by your business. The local listing page will be the one with the lesser number of followers. The company page is more likely to have a higher follower count since it is more likely maintained and updated by your company regularly!

Choose the page with fewer followers for merging: Choose the Pages option on the left navigation pane and then select the one with the lesser number of followers. This is your local listing page.

Find the Manage option: Make sure the one you are choosing has been verified and then click on Manage option on that page. Now, finding this might be a little challenging. First, go to the General tab of the Settings of your account. Then click on the Manage option (it is usually a blue link). Keep scrolling until you see a Profile option. Then select the “Connect a different page” option under Profile.

Choose the page you want to merge: When you opt for connecting your page to the other existing ones, a dialog-box labeled “Link a different page to this location” pops up. This will have a list of all the details of your Google+ Pages suffixed with follower details. The page with relatively higher number of followers should be the company page and it should be on this given list for you to check and select. Verify to make sure that you are selecting the correct page and then select the page for merging.

Confirm changes to the Google verified listings: After you click on next you will need to confirm the changes you have made. You can merge two pages into one and you will be able to see Google+ Pages containing a verified listing badge on your new Page and connected to Google Maps as well. It will contain all the data from your business-listing page, including reviews, working hours, phone numbers and service details. Click on Confirm only after the details have been verified carefully.

Merging multiple pages on Google+ is no rocket science. As a first timer, you just need a little nudge in the right direction to merge the pages seamlessly without the loss of any information. Whenever you need help, we are here to help you. Just give us a call or send us a message and we will get back to you with a solution.